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Archives for January 2014

While I did not anticipate taking a few weeks off, but once again – I took a little break from writing. I know it’s busy for everyone around the holidays and this year has been no exception for me. My family has a couple of birthdays in December, which adds to the busyness. I am delighted to be back at the keyboard and sharing a family favorite, peanut butter bon bons.

In the midst of all of that busyness, I lost my passwords to everything in my life. This may sound over dramatic or even slightly ridiculous. The reality is that I am not a password type of person. I have so many different things that I have to have passwords for that I have to have a way to keep track of them. My way was inadvertently erased. Gone from existence. Into the ether. Thank God for Daughter Number Two being patient and much more tech savvy than I am! She has been helping me slowly but surely rediscover all of my passwords so I can get back to my life!

I was super excited to have a few days off before Christmas to make some Christmas candy for the family. I chose to make a couple of my maternal Grandmother’s recipes. One of the recipes was for Peanut Butter Bonbons. I had eaten them when I was a child and thought they might simply be the greatest things on earth. Of course, that was before I tried to make them. I’m grateful to the Hubs for his arm strength in getting them mixed together smoothly because I would still be mixing. They turned out to be tasty, but not as pretty as my Grandmother’s. Ah, well. Practice makes perfect.

One of the interesting candy making parts of the peanut butter bon bons was the use of paraffin. I had never used paraffin in coating candy before. The shine and smoothness that it gave to the chocolate was wonderful. As with most things you do the first time there were a few lessons learned about using paraffin for dipping chocolate. First, cut the paraffin into small pieces or grate it. It makes it much easier to melt. Also, the more paraffin, the glossier the chocolate, but it will also take on a waxier taste. In my opinion using a little less would still give a great sheen without the waxy taste.

The recipe made enough for home and for sharing although convincing The Hubs was not easy. Everyone who tried the bon bons loved them, so they will definitely be added to the annual cookie and candy making list.

Speaking of lists, I have a new place to store my passwords so that I won’t accidentally delete them all. Am I ever glad to be able to post things and communicate with everyone again! I think a retina scanner would be easier.

I hope you enjoy these little bonbon morsels from my childhood as much as my own children did!

Peanut Butter Bon Bons

Ingredients

Instructions

In a large bowl melt butter in microwave. Add the peanut butter , powdered sugar, and cereal. Blend well with your hands.

Melt the chocolate chips and paraffin in a double boiler, or a microwave. If you melt chocolate in a microwave be sure to use 50% power and stir every 30 seconds to prevent burning. Stir until smooth. Set aside.

Form peanut butter cereal mixture into ½” balls.

Dip the balls into the melted chocolate and place on waxed paper to harden.